Wednesday, January 07, 2015

But I see your true colors shining through...

Over the last couple weeks I wanted to reach out to you good people of the Internet and say please! Please help me with color! Because help!

As I said yesterday, we've fixed a couple walls in our bedroom, and decided to paint. Nick said I could really splash out with color if I wanted. Try something bold. Because within the year, we will be fixing the whole room, so if we want to change the paint at that point, we can.
So I chose these colors. And I asked a friend who dropped by just at the right moment, who said, with the caveat that he is about to put up textured grey wallpaper, they seemed kind of Crayola bright. Which, you know, was kind of true. And also kind of why I liked them.

But I didn't want to paint and then be annoyed with the color. Would the cobalt be too dark and kind of oppressive? Would a fuchsia room feel like you were inside a vagina? (And if so, is that good or bad?)

I agonized. Choose one and try? Pick others entirely?

When I don't know what to do, I don't do anything. I get paralyzed. I work best when I have three choices of anything ever. Pick A, B, or C. I'd probably have been married long ago if that were the case. Also if I liked Will Ferrell.

Anyway.

Nick kept saying, "It's only paint! Just pick one! But not this one - too dark. And I don't like that one."

I didn't choose. Nick, who hates indecision and has a much lower tolerance for ambiguity than I, got impatient. He abhors loose ends.

And I wasn't about to let the color blind guy just pick a color.

He once bought a spendy ceiling lamp that he knew I disliked because he just couldn't stand the lack of ceiling lamp in the dining room. I gave in because it was easier than dealing with his agitation.

It's now in another room and he regularly mentions how nice it looks in there and waits for me to agree. And I agree that it looks better there. But I agree in such a way as to make clear that I still dislike the lamp.

It is the lighting of my discontent. 

So I went to Home Depot, got three more swatches of colors I liked, and he picked two and put them behind his back for me to choose. I did.

And then I hesitated, and when he asked why, I said, "Because this color feels predictable. It might be too subtle."

"Lisa," he said. "Predictable and subtle would be tan or cream. You are the only person in the world who thinks this color is either predictable or subtle."

So here is the wall color as it currently stands.
It is hard to tell with the darkness and the covered windows. Although I do think the sunlight through the shopping bag is reminiscent of stained glass, no? I mean in a very low-budget sort of way?

I like it, but I wonder if it's too masculine.

And then I stop and ask myself, am I the only person in the world who thinks that as well?

Yah. So I hate to tell you we're considering repainting our kitchen.

9 comments:

  1. Very pretty! I really like it. I don't think its too masculine but I think pink and blue are both neutral colors...I have a blue couch in the living room over a white and gray "neutral" zebra rug.

    When I can't decide, I create a spreadsheet....so for the kitchen you could ask yourself the 3 - x things you're looking for in a paint color (brightness, coordinates with flooring or cabinets, masculine/feminine, a favorite color - whatever you want the categories to be) and for each paint color, assign 1 point or a negative point and let the math decide for you. You can always override Excel and decide on your own but at least you can understand a little more about why you like a color or don't. I've never bought samples and painted on the wall - I just look at the swatch in different lighting conditions and it's a miracle but it's worked for me. Well done you painting samples - too much time and effort for me!

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    1. Sorry, didn't explain the scoring very well - I point per paint color per category...so a perfect score is a point in each category and that's your winner / paint color. Assigning negative points/ categories helps break ties.

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    2. Heather, I love you so much! Of course you have a super logical solution that involves a spreadsheet and data! That is an interesting approach. If one or another doesn't feel right to me, I think we will try this. Or maybe we will anyway, out of curiosity.

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  2. I love that color! I don't think it's too masculine at all. But, if you're worried about it, just make the pillows or comforter or other accessories more "girly".

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    1. Thank you, Cheryl! I do like the color, and I need to see how it is once we have the shutters. Because they will add so much white, plus we'll be able to let light in. So it will change the whole feel and I might at that point unabashedly love it.

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  3. I like the color, but the middle blue is my favorite. It pairs nicely with the light ceiling. Of course, I once had a blue bedroom that I ADORED. It was darker than your's, with a beige Berber carpet, sort of a Caribbean-beach-at-night effect. I can't take credit though, my husband has the best design ideas. :)

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    1. I love that middle blue! That's the one we were worrying might look too dark. Nick didn't think he could have a whole big uninterrupted wall that color. Caribbean-beach-at-night effect sounds lovely and soothing!

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  4. Great pick! It'll pick up the white window frames/treatment and however you decorate the room - keep it light and it'll all balance out. That's a bold pick, but a great pick.

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    1. Thank you! I do think the contrast with white is nice. Our duvet cover is beige and eventually we will have white bookcases and I don't know what kind of art. We haven't put anything much up because the walls were just kind of yuck.

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